Welcome to The David Bugle!
It's probably best to kick this off with a little Q&A. No it is not an FAQ, because nobody has asked me any question about this more than once. My newsletter, I get to be pedantic, but launching a site with an FAQ section already attached feels a lot like calling a new event "The First Annual XYZ" – you need a bit more time for that!
Who is this guy?
If we've been friends for a while, please accept this video of Keith David performing Nat King Cole's "L-O-V-E" as alternative programming and skip to the next two sections when you're ready.
I'm David L. Lebovitz!
(No, I'm not the chef. Never the chef. That's a big part of why I put the L. in there.)
Last name pronounced lee-BO-witz – the V makes the W sound. My ancestors came from Eastern Europe pre-World War II, take it up with them.
I'm originally from New Jersey – and yes, Central Jersey does exist, I'm from there. I'm now based out of Durham, North Carolina.
Where have I seen your stuff before?
I've been writing for the illustrious Internet Audience since 2013 professionally, and for free since the Xanga days. You might have seen my bylines in years gone by on Deadshirt (RIP), Rebeat Magazine (RIP), Pucks & Pitchforks, Looper, Grunge, and Wrestling Inc. I also spent the better part of a decade in public access TV, and hosted a talk show on TV35 in Cranford, NJ.
I've interviewed dozens of people in entertainment, sports, and politics. Many are names you know, including Pierce Brosnan, Ron Pearlman, and Donnie Yen.
I also spent a decent chunk of time as Senior Lead Editor at Looper and Wrestling Inc, so there's a pretty solid chance that if you frequented those sites between 2019-2023, you read something written by me, edited by me, or approved at some stage by me. You're welcome/I'm sorry.
Every Christmas season I also do Jingle Hell, a series on Letterboxd where I try to figure out the true meaning of Christmas by watching as many generic Hallmark-esque Christmas movies as possible.
I've also been a guest on multiple podcasts. You can hear me on The Record Player talking about Bitter Tears, an album Johnny Cash made after he got too high and thought he was Native American. I also did a guest spot on The Mixed Reviews, talking about Jingle Hell and Zoey's Extraordinary Christmas (RIP Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist). I was also a semi-frequent guest on the Let's Go Devils hockey podcast a few years back, usually talking about obscure hockey history.
I still freelance from time to time and if I have a byline in a place you can see, I'll probably link to it here.
Why a newsletter?
Nothing too complicated: It gives me an opportunity to write what I want, and what you want to read, without compromise … or dealing with a shrinking media landscape that's accepting fewer pitches.
Traditional media – which at this point squarely includes the digital media landscape as a whole – is in a pretty bad place right now. If you're even tangentially connected to it, you likely know a few people who have been laid off and won't stop talking to you about it. There's many reasons for this – declining ad rates; the enshittification of Google and social media; penny pinching due to corporate consolidation; and the most stubborn maniacs in the industry being so entrenched they avoid accountability.
I'm not here to act like starting a newsletter is some kind of vanguard activity. But it's a way to keep writing on my own terms, publish things that don't fit neatly elsewhere, stay connected, and maybe build a little community. That sounds reasonable enough to me.
(Also, not to sound too much like a Twitter bio circa 2013, but the views in this newsletter exclusively represent me and not any employers past, present, or current. Love it or hate it but it's all Me!)
Why Buttondown?
Two main points.
It provides the services I need at the most reasonable price point
They have an explicit "No Nazis" rule
I dabbled in Substack in the past but the pros of discoverability aren't outweighed by the cons of "the people in charge outright say literal Nazis can stay here."
I'm certainly not married to this platform and it might not be here forever – I like what Ghost has to offer, too – but Buttondown seems like a largely moral platform that suits my needs.
Can I pay you for the goods and/or services you provide?
As of this particular post, the newsletter is free. There are plans for a paid tier and possible exclusive content in the not-too-distant future, but some part of this will always be free. In the meantime, if you want to compensate me for making Good Posts, you can toss me a fuck bucks on ko-fi. You can also pay for Jingle Hell requests if you are feeling generous and/or want me to feel insane.
Who designed that logo?
JoJo Seames! They also came up with the name. Check out their website, Instagram, Bluesky, and Patreon.
How can I contact you?
Email me at thedavidbugle@gmail.com! Tell me what you'd like to see
And heck, there might be comments someday soon! (Please know that I'm generally opposed to comment sections these days unless they're behind some kind of wall. I remember when The Athletic had the best comment sections on the internet.)
Where else can I find you?
My main home is on Bluesky. I'm kind of sundowning my Twitter account but it's the same username. There's also the aforementioned Letterboxd. I also have an Instagram account where I never, ever post but share stories once every year or so.
You're not getting my Facebook if you don't already have it. Why would you even want that?